Asparagus plant--Jersey Gem

ABSTRACT

An Asparagus plant having all male characteristics, particularly productive under conditions found in North Carolina and Oklahoma where it was highest yielding hybrid over long periods of time and among the top ten in yield in two areas in Michigan, having tolerance to rust (Puccinia asparagi) and producing good quality spears.

This invention relates to Asparagus plants and particularly to varietieswhich have outstanding characteristics, and is one of the hybrids whichhas been developed by us through a long period of selection and crossingand re-crossing as is necessary to produce the best hybrids under widelyvarying conditions.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The hybrid Asparagus which is the subject of this disclosure, has beendeveloped particularly to produce good and large quantities ofAsparagus, the same having been tested under widely varying conditions.When compared with other varieties both those which we have developedand which are standards in the industry, it is in fact substantiallymore productive in virtually all of the instances where tests have beenconducted by us with respect thereto and by others from which data hasbeen assembled.

The fact that this particular plant is an all male plant, it thereforedoes not produce any seed and as a result the volunteer Asparagusseedlings which normally accompany Asparagus grown from seed, are notpresent. The energy which would otherwise go into seed production isstored in the root system where it enhances higher yields.

In order to identify this particular Asparagus plant in commerce, wehave chosen to call the same "Jersey Gem" and as such it has been testedunder widely varying conditions in North Carolina, in Michigan, and alsoOklahoma, which obviously provide for quite different growthpossibilities.

As a matter of fact when tested in Oklahoma for example, it was rankednumber two in a trial of forty-one other cultivars, the yield datarelating thereto being disclosed in a table supplied and incorporatedherein. The fact is that as compared with the patented variety"Greenwich", U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,550, it produces substantiallygreater quantities of Asparagus. In fact as compared with the knownstandard "Mary Washington", an unpatented variety, "Jersey Gem" isdefinitely substantially better in the Oklahoma test and as a matter offact in other tests where it has been compared with "Mary Washington"likewise.

The Michigan tests disclose that this particular Asparagus plant, is inthe top ten for both locations in Michigan where the plant was grown fortest purposes.

These tests have extended over a number of years and thus establish thatthe plant is a good producer, and the characteristics of the plantproduced by us through asexual reproduction, have been found to cometrue in successive generations and thus establish the fixedcharacteristics which we have described and which are outstanding aswill be understood.

In summary, the plant may be compared with others which we have producedand for that purpose reference is made to the drawing wherein the stalkdata are applied to a typical plant in some areas so as to enable acomparison to be made with other varieties and in dealing with theactual production in quantities thereof, the tables supplied are also ofassistance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a mechanical drawing of portions of an Asparagus plant showinglength of the main stem to the lowest branch and typical dimensions, ofthe upper branches of `Jersey Gem`; and,

FIG. 2 is a photographic depiction showing in side-view a specimen of`Jersey Gem` in an observation plot.

It should be noted that the color picture of FIG. 2 in the drawing, isreferred to the Munsell Color Cascade by way of designation ofparticular colors, it however being noted that as such Asparagus plantsdo not have the widely varying color differences which some other plantsmay exhibit.

In any event, the drawing herein does assist in identifying and indisclosing some of the attributes of our new Asparagus plant, as can bedepicted in such illustration.

We have established by asexual reproduction effected through crowndivision that the characteristics set forth herein come true insuccessive generations.

    ______________________________________                                        ASPARAGUS PLANT DATA                                                                                    Inch ×                                                                  2.54 = cm.                                          ______________________________________                                        STALK DATA                                                                    Number of nodes below first branch (1)                                                                  33                                                  Number of cm. from crown to first branch (1)                                                            57.8                                                Number of branches (1)    43                                                  Number cm. between first and last branch (1)                                                            106.0                                               Internode length in cm. between branches                                                                2.47                                                Number of cladophyll nodes beyond last branch                                                           23                                                  Number of cm. beyond last branch (1)                                                                    10.2                                                Internode length in cm. beyond last branch (1)                                                          0.443                                               Largest stalk diameter in mm                                                                            17.9                                                Mean diameter of three largest stalks in mm                                                             17.0                                                Number of stalks          22                                                  Stalk vigor index (No. × (Mean Diam.)                                                             6,358                                               Mature stalk color, bloom removed, Color No. (1)                                                        21-13                                               Highest headed stalk cm. to first branch                                                                82.6                                                FLOWER DATA                                                                   Petal tip (yellow) Color No. (1)                                                                         26-3.5                                             Petal base (green) Color No. (1)                                                                        24-4                                                Flower length mm          5.91                                                Flower width at midpoint mm                                                                             2.74                                                CLADOPHYLL DATA                                                               Number per node           4.67                                                Length mm                 16.0                                                Width mm                  0.143                                               ______________________________________                                        OKLAHOMA                                                                                       CUM.                                                         HYBRID           kg/ha                                                        ______________________________________                                        Jersey Gem       29,422                                                       G27 × 22-8                                                              Greenwich        23,688                                                       53 × 22-8                                                               Mary Washington  11,305                                                       ______________________________________                                        MICHIGAN                                                                                      1986                                                          Cultiver          Lb/A    Rank                                                ______________________________________                                        Jersey Giant      5416    1                                                   G27 × 22-8 mm                                                                             5325    2                                                   Mary Washington   1357    61                                                  Jersey Giant      3300    8                                                   47 × 14-4 mm.                                                                             3266    9                                                   Mary Washington   2070    42                                                  ______________________________________                                         Note: Entries in the top ten for both locations among 51 cultivars.      

    ASPARAGUS YIELD DATA                                                                          CUM.                                                          HYBRID          kg/ha                                                         ______________________________________                                        Jersey Gem (1)  20,477                                                        G27 × 22-8                                                              Greenwich       15,359                                                        53 × 22-8                                                               Jersey Giant    13,033                                                        56 × 22-8                                                               ______________________________________                                         (1) Ranked No. 1 in a trial of 30 cultivars (in this trial)              

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct Asparagus hybrid as hereinbefore shownand described, characterized particularly as to novelty by the uniquecombination of exceptionally high yield of good quality spears underwidely diverse conditions of soil and climate, as compared with a largenumber of other hybrid Asparagus, its all male characteristics, andresistance to rust (Puccinia asparagi).